Parsons Law
Wills & Estate Lawyers

Parsons Law is a boutique practice located on the Gold Coast founded and led by Carla Parsons an Accredited Specialist in Succession Law in Queensland.
The Parsons Law team have extensive experience in Will and Estate matters and offer specialist advice, professional service and result focused outcomes.
Parsons Law was recognised in 2017 in the Doyles Guide as one of the recommended Law Firms in Queensland for Wills, Estate & Succession Planning and for Estate Litigation.
Find out more about our services and approach here and in our Law Talk short videos.

Carla Parsons – Accredited Specialist in Succession Law (Qld)

Our Services

WHAT WE DO

At Parsons Law we practice exclusively in Succession Law. This covers:

We aim to help you – be it to protect and pass on family wealth and assets, maintain family relationships, assist in the administration and finalisation of the estate of a loved one and support the overall fulfilment of testamentary wishes.

OUR APPROACH

We will work with you and your trusted advisors to achieve a result focused outcome. We believe in providing transparency in respect to legal costs and will aim to provide you with an up-front fixed fee for your legal matter, wherever possible.

Knowledge is important – we will keep you fully informed and updated throughout the course of your matter.

OUR EXPERTISE

Carla Parsons is one of only 43 lawyers who have been appointed as an Accredited Specialist in Succession Law in Queensland.

The Queensland Law Society’s Specialist Accreditation program is designed to formally recognise practitioners who hold a high level of competency, experience and knowledge in their area of expertise. It also acts as a guide post, for both the public and others within the legal profession, as to practitioners who are leaders in their area of law.

Both Carla Parsons and Parsons Law are proud to be named on the prestigious 2017 List of best Lawyers and Law Firms in Queensland. Doyles Guide is a comprehensive and independent guide to Australia’s best lawyers, law firms and barristers.

SPECIALISING IN

Parsons Law provides expert advice and assistance in all areas of Succession Law in Queensland.

In addition to assisting clients, Carla also provides consulting services to other legal practitioners and law firms in complex Will and deceased Estate matters.

Carla Parsons - Director, providing you with specialist advice and personalised service in all areas of Will and deceased Estate law

WHO WE ARE

Carla Parsons is the Legal Practitioner Director of Parsons Law Pty Ltd and is one of only 43 Accredited Specialist in Succession Law in Queensland. She has extensive experience in Wills and Estate matters and offers specialist advice and professional service.

Carla has been recognised on the 2017 Doyles Guide as a Leading Wills & Estate Lawyer and as one of the recommended Estate Litigation Lawyers in Queensland. In line with her areas of focus, she has completed a Masters of Applied Law majoring in Wills and Estates. She also sits on the executive board of STEP (Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners) Queensland. She is a regular speaker and presenter and a passionate educator (at both Bond University and the College of Law) of new lawyers and the next generation of leading Will and Estate lawyers. Carla started her career in law through the traditional ‘5-year Articled Clerk’ path, resulting in the distinct advantage of many years of ‘hands-on’ training. Throughout her legal journey to date, Carla has also had the advantage of the guidance and tuition of experienced and respected mentors. You can find out more about Carla’s legal experience and journey here

OUR TEAM

Ainsley O’Keefe | Associate

Ainsley joined the Parsons Law team in 2017 and holds a double degree in Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Business from Griffith University, where she graduated with Honours. Ainsley is admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland and the High Court of Australia

After working in Commercial, Property and Succession Law for a number of years, Ainsley now practices exclusively in Succession Law. Ainsley is currently completing a Masters of Applied Law majoring in Wills & Estates through the College of Law, which allows her to continue to develop her skills in an area of law which she is passionate about. Ainsley can assist you with your Estate Planning, Estate Administration and Estate Litigation needs whilst focusing on achieving the best outcome for you in the most efficient manner.

Ainsley prides herself on building a strong rapport with her clients and providing sound legal advice to guide clients through what otherwise may be a difficult time.

Christie Belsham | Lawyer

Christie joined Parsons Law in 2017 whilst finishing her placement component of the
Bond University Practical Legal Training Program.

She has recently returned to the Gold Coast after spending the last five years in Brisbane completing her undergraduate degrees. She graduated from the Queensland University of Technology in 2016, with a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Business (Management). In late 2017, Christie completed her Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice which was followed by her admission to the Supreme Court of Queensland as a Lawyer in October 2017.

Christie has recently enrolled in the Wills and Estate Applied Law Masters Program taught at the College of Law, with a focus to enhance her skills in all aspects of Estate law.

Kirsty Grant and Lesley van der Veen are key members of the Parsons Law team. Kirsty and Lesley pride themselves on excellent client care and communication. They will be there for you to assist with your queries, keep you updated on your matter and to organise your next meeting with us. At Parsons Law, our team is here to support and collaborate with you.

Publications and presentations

Teaching and Learning

Carla is an Assistant Professor at Bond University, teaching the Wills and Estate elective in the Practical Legal Training (PLT) program. This role enables Carla to share her knowledge and skills with graduate lawyers, with an aim to equip the next generation of lawyers with practical legal and advocacy skills in Succession Law.

Carla is also an Adjunct Lecturer with the College of Law, teaching the Foundations of Wills & Estates Practice subject in the Masters of Applied Law program. Through this role, Carla is able to mentor, guide and teach other Succession Lawyers with an aim to enhance their on-the-job skills and opportunity to become the next practice-area leaders.

Academic Achievements

In addition to the successful completion of the Queensland Law Society’s Specialist Accreditation program in 2015, Carla was also awarded the Highest Achiever’s award in Succession Law.

Carla also holds a Masters of Applied Law (LL.M), majoring in Wills and Estates.

Knowledge sharing

With a passion for education and training, Carla can also offer other legal practitioners and wealth management professionals with tailored Will and Estate training and education sessions. Contact Parsons Law to find out more.

Testimonials and Endorsements

Our family was super impressed with the service provided by Parsons Law during what was a very difficult time for us. We found the firm knowledgeable, empathetic, efficient and proficient from first contact right through to the end of the matter. Thanks again for your assistance.

- Parsons Law Client

Everyone I dealt with in your company has been so friendly, professional, and very efficient. It was a very pleasant experience. You were also very thorough and explained everything so well I had no difficulty understanding and normally the legal language is very hard to understand.

- Parsons Law Client

Carla was the obvious choice as convenor for Wills and Estates Practice module in the Bond University Professional Legal Training Program.
Her experience in the area, coupled with her qualifications as a QLS Accredited Specialist and her enthusiasm for the subject bring to the students’ experience the best possible learning experience.
In this area of the law, she is very definitely an expert.

- Assistant Professor & PLT Programs Director, Bond University.

My husband and I used Carla many years ago to do our original wills when she was working elsewhere. So recently we tracked her down to do an update on our wills because we found her young, enthusiastic, very professional and went out of her way to be of assistance. We would highly recommend Parsons Law for your Wills and Estates business

- Parsons Law Client

With an impromptu overseas holiday booked and 4 children being left at home, we quickly realised we should get a Will made up ‘just in case’. With only a few days till we departed, Carla was brilliant! She visited our home the following day and had all the right questions for us to answer. When we got stuck she also had lots of great suggestions. It was obvious to us that Carla had been doing this for a long time and was very professional at what she did. Our documents were prepared promptly and delivered straight back to us for signing at a time that was convenient to us. We were extremely impressed with Carla’s service and price and would highly recommend her! Carla made the whole process very easy.

- Parsons Law Client

I have worked with Carla over a number of years. Her expertise in the area is undoubted. But Carla also has the ability to give practical advice taking into account not only the client’s individual circumstances, but the commerciality of the issues at play.

- Colleague and fellow Accredited Specialist in Succession Law (Queensland)

Carla’s professional and personable approach to guiding my clients through the minefield of Estate law provides me as a professional and my clients piece of mind, ensuring that the transfer of wealth at this sensitive time is managed according to the clients plan

- Wealth Management Professional, Gold Coast

Client Information

As we offer tailored and outcome-focused solutions, at Parsons Law the first step will be to arrange a meeting with us. To prepare for the meeting we will provide you with a checklist of what documents and information may be relevant or helpful to bring along with you. As part of our personalised approach, we are also happy to meet with you at our office, your advisor’s office or if you prefer your home or business (on the Gold Coast or in Brisbane), whatever is most suitable and convenient.

We also appreciate that your Estate Planning, Estate Administration or Estate Litigation meeting may be a sensitive and emotional experience for you. With a view to ensure you are comfortable and prepared for the meeting, we will also provide you with information and guidance publications and materials before our first meeting.

It is our aim to ‘partner’ with you in respect to your Will and Estate law needs.

Advisor Information

If you are a wealth management professional or fellow legal advisor, the professional, independent and specialist Will and Estate Law advice offered by Parsons Law may be of benefit and assistance to you and your clients.

At Parsons Law we adopt a collaborative approach with colleagues and advisors, so as to achieve timely result-focused outcomes for clients. We have developed processes, procedures and templates to ensure a seamless and unified approach.

Law Talk

What is Estate Planning

Estate Planning is a holistic approach to preparing a succession plan. It is the practice of making sure you have suitably tailored arrangements in place to ensure that all your testamentary wishes are captured and a transition plan is implemented for all of your…

Estate Administration – What’s involved

It may include the process of obtaining a Grant of Probate /Letters of Administration and will involve steps such as attending to accounting and taxation requirements, identifying and settling debts and liabilities, identifying and collecting assets and …

A snapshot on Estate Ligation

Litigation over the estate of a loved one can arise for a number of different reasons. It may be as a result of a concern as to the validity of the Will itself or because someone feels that they have not been provided for sufficiently in the …